Brine tank valve



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 15, 1959 H. w. ADDISON BRINE TANK VALVE Filed Nov. 19. 1956 HHRRY W /qDblsoN/JR.

HTTORNE Y6 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY W. HDD/soA/,J/a

, Sofi/www ada/nw H 7" 7'0F1N YS H. W. ADDISON BRINE TANK VALVE Sept. l5, 1959 Filed Nov. 19, 195e tube;

United States Patent O BRINE TANK VALVE Harry W. Addison, Marshall, Minn. Application November 19, 1956, Serial No. 622,958 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-391) simple and relatively inexpensive, yet highly efficient valve construction particularly for use in softener brine tanks to control the ow into as well as out of the brine tank and being particularly designed to remainetliciently operative in spite of the corrosive action of the salt brine.

It is another object to provide a brine tank ow control valve which is particularly constructed for operation in response to variations in the liquid levelv within said brinetank. Vj

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in "connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which: v n

Fig. l` is a diagrammatical view showing a softener and brine tank system;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section showing one for-m of my brine tank valve;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another form of my valve;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the structure shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing an alternativeform of my invention with the valve in lower seated position;

- Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of an alternative form of my invention showing the valve in lower seated position with the spring engaging the side wall of the Fig. 8 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line-8 8 of Fig. 6; and A Fig. 9 is a horizontal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7, with the ball removed.

As best shown in Fig. l, I provide a softener 12 having a softener valve 13. A conduit 14 connects the softener valve 13 with a brine tank 15. The brine tank 15 has a suitable bed of filter material, such as the sand 17, in the bottom thereof, and a protective cylinder 16 of substantially smaller diameter than the tank 15 is mounted within said tank and extends downwardly so that its lower end is submerged below the surface of the sand. Salt granules 18 may then be confined the tank 1S surrounding the conning or protective cylinder 16 and the sand 17 will prevent these salt granules from rising into said cylinder 16 and will thus act as a filter bed.

y 2,904,061 Patented Sept. 15, 1959 Mice Form A of my invention is illustrated in Fig. 2 and consists inan elongated tube 19 which is connected at its upper end to the conduit 14 yand extends downwardly into the lower portion of the cylinder 16 as best shown in Fig. 2. This tube 19 may be securely anchored to the cylinder by any suitable means such as the screw clamp assembly 20 disposed at the upper portion ofthe cylinder and tube. A pair of valve seats 21 and 22 respectively are provided in vertically spaced relation within the tube 19 and a valve element 23 is confined within said tube in a manner to permit the same to be moved freely between the two seats 21 and 22. In this form of my invention, the lower end of the valve is connected with a float 24 by a flexible member such as the nylon cord 25 which passes downwardly through the valve seat 22 and around the lower end of the tube 19 which serves as a guide therefor. The upper end of the valve 23 is connected with a similar cord 26 which is trained about a suitable guiding element 27 and is connected .to a free-hanging counterbalancing weight element 28.

The oat element 24 rides on the surface and as the water level within the tank 15 and cylinder 16 rises, the oat pulls the valve element 23 downwardly until the same seats in the lower seat 22 and thus limits the water level within the tank 15 and the cylinder 16. As soon as the softener valve 13 is shifted to brine intake position, suction is produced in `any conventional manner in the conduit 14 to draw brine water up through the tube 19 and lower the level of the liquid in the tank 15 and cylinder 16. The volume of water owing out through lthe .tube 19 is controlled by the valve 23 since as the level is reduced in the cylinder 16, the float will be lowered and the weight 28 will cause the valve 23 to rise within the tube until the upper end of the valve 23 seats itself in the upper valve seat 21. Thus, a predetermined volume of brine is introduced into the softener 12 to regenerate the same. After completion of the brining operation, the suction in conduit 14 will be cut oif by the valve 13 which will ultimately be returned` to service position. When the valve 13 is in service position, water is supplied to the tank 15 through the conduit 14 and tube 19. A check valve, such as the ball check 29 seats itself in a suitable valve seat 30 provided for this purpose, and causes the incoming water to flow .through a restricted by-pass passage 31 to limit the rate of ilow back into the brine tank. This is desirable to prevent the valve 23 from being forced downwardly -into seated position in valve seat 22 by an excessive rate of ilow of the incoming water. This incoming water fills the cylinder 16 and tank 15 to the level permitted by the lloat 24 which ultimately causes Ithe valve 23 to seat in the lower seat element 22. A retaining member 32 prevents the ball 29 from being carried out of the tube 19 during the time when the brine is being carried up to said tube.

Form B of my invention, is best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In this form of my invention, an elongated tubular member 33 is provided instead of the tube 19 previously described. The upper end of the tube 33 is connected with conduit 14 to provide communication with the softener valve 13. The tube 33 has a valve member 34 slidably mounted therewithin, and said valve member is provided at its respective ends with Valve elements 34a and 34b which respectively seat in the spaced valve seats 35 and 36 mounted in said tube 33. In form B of my invention, I have eliminated entirely the counterbalancing weight disclosed in form A and have replaced the same with a plurality of resilient tube engaging fingers 34C Awhich are connected to valve 34 and resiliently engage the inside wall of the tube to frictionally prevent movement thereof unless suiicient force is exerted to overcome said frictional resistance. A oat 37 is connected with the lower end of the valve as by a ex'ible nylon line 38 with the intermediate portion of said line passing around the guiding surface formed vby the lower end of the tube 33. As the Water level rises within` the cylinder 16, the valve 34 is lpulled downwardvlyby the float 37 `and ultimately seats inthe lower valve seat 35'. "During the withdrawal operation, however, the brine is sucked Vout of the tube 14 in the same manner Vas described in form A of my invention, and the valve '34 yis shifted Vupwardly within the -tube toward Vthe ,upper seat T36 as the float 37 is lowered by the ,removal of brine from 'the cylinder 16 and tank 15.

i `In this .form of my invention, a ball check valve element 39. is provided in the .top of the seat 36 to close 'thepassage through'said seat and prevent unrestricted ow of water into the `brine tank. This causes the water to Afiow'thifough a by-pass orifice 40 vformed in the side Wall'of the tube 33, the check valve 39 and down through .anannular passage formed by an outer tubular .shell 41 which surrounds the inner tube 33.

isfformed in Athe side wall vof tube 33 immediately above the valve seat 35 and permits restricted flow of liquid down through the tube 33. The ends of the shell 41"sea'ling'ly engaged against the outside wall of tube 33 as by vthe flexible rubber sleeve element 43' at the top and 'the' short spacer sleeve 44 at the bottom thereof. 'Theflexible rubber sleeve 43 extends downwardly a sufic'ient distance to the overly the outlet orifice 40 as best shown in Figs. 3 and l5. This rubber sleeve element 43 serves as a check valveV to permit water to flow through passage 40, but prevents water from ilowing back therethrough, and thus prevents water or brine from bypassing the valve seat 36 when vthe valve 34 'has Vbeen seated thereagainst, but permits restricted now of the lwater downwardly into the cylinder 16 and tank l15.

`In"Fig. 6, stillanother form of my invention is 'illusitrated, and this form is designated by the reference character C. As in forms A and B, Alorm C of my 4invention consists in a tube 45 connectedv at 'its upper end to the supply conduit 14 and securely anchored vwithin the protective cylinder 16. In this form of the invention, the upper portion of the tube 45 is somewhat enlarged as designated by the numeral 45a to'form a valve chamber wherein a valve 46 is confined. Valve elements 46a and 46b are 'formed 4,on the respective ends of `said valve 46. A valve'seat 47 is Yformed `at the bottom of .the valve chamber, and a valve seat 48 .is *formed at the top thereof. A soft, resilient member, such as Athe coil spring 49 surrounds the valve 46 and the lower end thereof seats itself when in lower posi,- tion against the lower valve seat 47 and yeldably urges the lower valve element 46a upwardly out .of seated position. The lower end of the valve 46v is connected to a flexible cord member, such as the nylon cord 5.0,

A by-pass oriice 1 u the check valve arrangement.

and .a pair of floats 51 and 52 are connected with the other end of said cord 50, the intermediate portion thereof passing around the lower end .of .the tube 45 as a guide. The oats 51 and 52 are spaced apart on intermediate portions of the cord 50, as best shown in Fig. 6. TheV lower float 51 does not have suicient buoyancyto overcome the force of the spring 49, however, the ,two iloats 51 andvSZ do have suilicient buoyancy to seat .the lower Vvalve element 46a in the lower seat 47 when the level reaches sufficient Adepth to tighten the section of the cord 50 between the two iloats. upper end of the seat 48 has a ball check arrangement generally similar to that kpreviously disclosed wherein a `ball 53 is `provided and is seated at the upper end of the valve seat 48. A by-pass groove 54 is .formed in the valve seat 48 to provide a restricted passage to meter thefow back into the brine tank when the ball check vSlfis'gin seated position. The use of the two oats 51 and`52` ,permits the maximum water level in the brine tank 'to' be easily varied. When the softener control 'valve imposes a .suction on the tube assembly 45 through The seat 47 and brine will be drawn out of the brine tank. Obviously, as the rbrine level drops 'within vthe tank, the oat 52 will drop with` it. The buoyancy of the lower iloat 51 will be overcome by spring 49 but will prevent the upper valve 46b from seating in the upper seat 48 until said iloat 51 drops a sufhcient distance to permit the valve member 49 to shift upwardly and seat the upper valve element 46b. Obviously, the valve element 46 is not required to move Vthe same distance that the water 'level drops as in forms A and B, but rather moves only substantially thesame distance that the lower oat 51 moves with the variations in the water level. Thus it is a relatively simple matter to control the liquid level .in the brine tank .and thereby control the available brine supply by merely adjusting the position of the upper float 52 on the cord 50.

In Fig. 7, `form D of my invention is illustrated wherein another means Ifor adjusting the brine tank water level is provided. A telescoping tube `assembly 55 is provided which has an rupper section '55a and a lower section155b wherein` the upper end of the lower section forms .the lower valve seat. A sealing collar v57 tightly seals the two sections together in the desired adjusted position. A slightly modified valve assembly is shown having two separate valve elements 58 and 59 interconnected by a coil spring 60, the vcenter portion of which is normally expanded circumferentially suiciently to frictionally engage the inside wall of tube section 55a. However, when the same is extended longitudinally, the lateral dimension of the spring `60 will be creduced suiciently to permit the two valve elements to be shifted easily within'the tubesection 55a. An upper valve seat 61 is provided to receive the upper valve `element 59 when thev same is shifted upwardly within' the tube section 55a. A flexible element such as the cord 62 is connected with the lower valve element v58 as best shown in Fig. 7 and passes downwardly through t-he lower tube 55b and around the lower end thereof as a guide and upwardly to a float member 63 which is connected at the other end thereof. A ball cheek valve v`64 similar in construction to the ball check yarrangement disclosed for form C of my invention is illustrated and a restricted metering groove 65 is provided ffor limiting the ow of water downwardly through As lthe water ows down through the tube 55, the float `63 will lise with the water level and will pull the lower valve element 58 downwardly stretching the spring 60 longitudinally sufficiently -to permit ythe valve assembly to move freely downwardly through the upper tube 4section 55a. While the Vwater is being sucked out of the cylinder 16 through the tube 55, the ilow of the water upwardly through the tube combined with the suction force will ystretch the spring sufficiently to permit the valve assembly to rise in the tube in accordance with the drop in the brine level within'the cylinder 16 and the Abrine tank 15. In -other words, the cord `62 will remain taut at all times and thus the spring 60 will remain in longitudinally extended, laterally contracted position to permit the upper valve element 59 to pass upwardly as the iloat `63 is lowered within the cylinder 16. Figs. `8 and 9 show the check valve construction A64 and 65 and kthetelescopic Yarrangement between the .two tube sections 55a and 55b.

kIt will be seen that I have provided a relatively simple yet highly eicient `brine tank Valve for water softeners and the like 'which will produce reliable and long service free operation'while permitting thersame to be constructed with a minimflnn of cost. f

It will, of course, 'be understood .that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts Without departing Vfrom the scope of my invention which consists of the Vmatter shown and described herein and set forth inthe appended claims;

What I claim is: Y

'1. An adjustable vvalve for softener brine tanks and thefll -QmPriSng' an Upstandng hollew tube, 'afpir .Of

spaced apart valve seats disposed within the tube, -a valve `assembly working in said tube between said valve seats, yieldable means urging said Valve out of seated position in the lower seat, a flexible interconnection element having one end attached to said valve assembly, guiding means for said interconnection element formed on said tube in Ispaced relation below the lower valve seat, a pair of iloat elements connected to said interconnection element .in spaced apart relation thereon, the spacing between said float elements being adjustable on said interconnection element, the lower float element having sufcient buoyancy to prevent the valve from seating in the upper seat `brut insufcient buoyancy to overcome the yieldable means urging said valve assembly out of lower seated position.

2. An adjustable Valve `for softener brine tanks and the like comprising an upstanding hollow tube assembly including a pair of longitudinally adjustable tube sections, the lower section being telescopically received within the upper section ,and provided with a valve seat at the upper end thereof, a valve seat provided within the upper tube section in spaced relation above the upper end of the lower tube, a Valve assembly working in said upper tube section between said valve seats a exible interconnection member connected at one end to said Valve assembly, a lloat connected to the other end thereof, guiding means for said interconnection member on the lower tube section disposed in spaced relation below the upper end thereof `and disposed between said oat and said valve assembly to permit said interconnection element to pass therearound during rising and falling of the liquid level on which said float is supported, `adjustment of said two tube sections longitudinally varying the spacing between said valve seats and the maximum elevation of said float to permit the level to be adjustably controlled within the brine tank in which said tube assembly and float is mounted.

3. A valve for softener brine tanks and the like comprising an upstanding elongated hollow tube adapted to be connected at its upper end to a combined liquid supply and withdrawal conduit, ya pair of spaced apart valve seats mounted within said tube, a valve interposed between said -seats and of a size to move from one seat to the other in response to engagement by the flow of liquid within said tube, a ioat element disposed outside of said tube, guiding means formed on said tube in spaced yrelation below the lower Valve seat, a iexible interconnection element interconnecting said valve element and said float and passing around said guiding means so that said oat urges said valve `element downwardly into seat relation against the lower seat whenever the liquid level supporting said float rises above a predetermined limit @but permitting the ilow of water upwardly through said tube to seat said valve against the upper valve seat when said liquid level drops to a predetermined lower limit, and lmeans Ifor retarding the movement of said valve consisting in a friction mechanism cooperatively associated with said valve for frictional engagement lagainst the inside of said tube to produce a predetermined frictional resistance to movement of the valve ywithin the tube and prevent the water ilow downwardly through the tube from seating the Valve against the lower valve seat until the water level reaches a predetermined upper limit.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said friction mechanism consists in a laterally expandable friction element contractable upon extension thereof and laterally expandable upon compression whereby the pullling -action of the iloat contracts said restraining means and pushing action expands the same.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,407,993 Earl Feb. 28, 1922 2,710,018 Wolfe lune 7, 1955 2,716,422 Whitlock Aug. 30,` 1955 

